Swarm Aero
Swarm Aero is an aerospace and defense company developing large-scale Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicle swarms and its Legion command-and-control software for the U.S. Armed Forces and allied militaries, targeting cost-effective autonomous airpower at production scale.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersOxnard, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Swarm Aero does
Swarm Aero is an aerospace and defense company, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Oxnard, California, that designs and manufactures large-scale unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the software needed to operate them as coordinated swarms. Its core platform is a Group 5 unmanned aerial system (over 1,320 lbs, capable of 18,000-foot flight altitude) built from the ground up for swarming, paired with a proprietary command-and-control software product called Legion that enables a single operator to control dozens of large UAV assets simultaneously across air, land, and sea domains. Underlying the platform are two proprietary sub-systems: the Universal Swarm Node (sensor mesh plus edge compute that brings cloud capabilities to the airframe) and Collaborative Autonomy (on-aircraft autonomy that executes swarm behaviors in dynamic, contested environments).
The business model combines hardware sales of large UAVs with what is described as subscription/recurring revenue from the Legion swarm software, targeted exclusively at government defense buyers through direct enterprise field sales. Primary customers are the U.S. Armed Forces and U.S. allies, with stated use cases spanning payload delivery in contested environments, detection and tracking of mobile assets, and defense-in-depth missions oriented around Pacific Theater deterrence. Manufacturing is anchored by an 80,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center at Drake Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas, opened February 2026 and designed for production of thousands of large UAVs; propulsion is supplied through a strategic partnership with Honeywell Aerospace using the TPE331 turboprop engine. The company has raised $59 million across a 2023 $22M seed and a March 2026 $35M Series A led by Two Sigma Ventures and Silent Ventures, and operates with 51–100 employees with publicly stated plans to roughly double its aircraft team during 2026.
Swarm Aero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Swarm Aero
- Legal name
- Swarm Aero Inc.
- Website
- https://swarm.aero
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Swarm Aero is an aerospace and defense company developing large-scale Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicle swarms and its Legion command-and-control software for the U.S. Armed Forces and allied militaries, targeting cost-effective autonomous airpower at production scale.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Swarm Aero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Military Unmanned Aerial Systems
- NAICS
- Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)
- SIC
- Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft (3721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aircraft (UAV) (IMABAIAB), Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)
Keywords
Where Swarm Aero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oxnard
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Swarm Aero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Large UAV Hardware Sales: Sale of large-scale multi-mission Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicles to military customers. The company produces UAVs designed for defense purposes with sense-and-strike capabilities for long-range deployment.
- Swarm Software (Legion): Command-and-control software license and potentially subscription-based access to Legion swarm coordination software enabling single operators to control dozens of assets across air, land, and sea domains.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Swarm Aero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Swarm Aero designs, manufactures, and sells large-scale Group 5 unmanned aerial systems (over 1,320 lbs) and its Legion command-and-control software for coordinated UAV swarms. The offering is targeted at the U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries for defense missions including payload delivery in contested environments, sense-and-strike, mobile asset tracking, and security and defense in depth. The company operates an 80,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, designed for high-volume production of large UAVs.
Product overview
Swarm Aero offers a unified product architecture combining its Legion command-and-control software platform with purpose-built large UAV hardware. The Legion software provides unified command-and-control enabling operators to manage swarms of large UAVs across air, land, and sea domains. This is paired with the company's multi-mission Group 5 UAS aircraft platforms, featuring Universal Swarm Node sensor mesh and edge compute modules, and Collaborative Autonomy systems. The company also recently integrated Honeywell's TPE331 turboprop engine as the propulsion system for its aircraft.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Legion: Command-and-control software that enables operators to manage swarms of UAVs across air, land, and sea domains, allowing single operators to control dozens of assets simultaneously.
Products and services
- Legion Command and Control Software Browser-based, platform-agnostic command-and-control software that enables operators to coordinate swarms of large UAVs across air, land, and sea domains. Mission-Level Autonomy translates user intent into vehicle-level behaviors updated in real time; a single operator can manage dozens of assets simultaneously. Sold to military and defense customers.
- Large-Class Multi-Mission UAS (Group 5) Large-scale multi-mission unmanned aerial system in the Group 5 classification (over 1,320 pounds) with 18,000-foot flight altitude capability and sense-and-strike payload capacity. Designed to deliver comparable operational capability to the MQ-9 Reaper at lower cost. Powered by Honeywell TPE331 turboprop engines. Targeted at U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries.
Quantifiable outcome
- Single operators can control dozens of UAV assets simultaneously
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Swarm Aero
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Swarm Aero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
Swarm Aero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Honeywell AerospacecoreStrategic technology partnership for propulsion systems. Honeywell Aerospace supplies its TPE331 turboprop engine (575 to 1,650 horsepower) as the powerplant for Swarm Aero's large-scale, multi-mission Group 5 UAS. The two companies collaborate across aircraft design, development, maintenance, and operations. First propulsion systems already supplied under initial contract.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Swarm Aero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Kratos produces the XQ-58 Valkyrie and other Group 5/CCA-class unmanned aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, making it a direct peer in affordable-mass UAS. Kratos shares Swarm Aero's target customer (USAF) and product category (low-cost autonomous UAS).
- Anduril Industries: Anduril builds Lattice command-and-control software and autonomous air platforms (Roadrunner, Fury) aimed at the same 'affordable mass' CCA/Group 5 UAS market as Swarm Aero, with a similar enterprise field-sales motion into DoD. It is the most closely comparable peer in both technology (swarming autonomy + C2) and go-to-market (defense procurement).
- Shield AI: Shield AI develops Hivemind autonomy software and autonomous UAS platforms (V-BAT) for DoD, making it a direct competitor to Swarm's Legion C2 and Group 5 swarming UAS offerings. Their dual hardware + autonomy software play mirrors Swarm Aero's product architecture.
- General Atomics: General Atomics is the incumbent manufacturer of the MQ-9 Reaper — the exact Group 5 UAS platform Swarm Aero is positioning against on cost. They are a direct competitor in the long-endurance ISR/strike UAS procurement lane and a benchmark on what Swarm must displace.
Broad incumbents
- Boeing: Boeing is developing the MQ-28 Ghost Bat and participates in CCA-related programs for the U.S. Air Force and allied militaries. As a Tier-1 prime, it competes broadly in autonomous Group 5 UAS programs where Swarm Aero is bidding.
- Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin is a Tier-1 defense prime with CCA/scout program participation and broader UAS/autonomy portfolios. It is a broad incumbent competing for the same procurement dollars Swarm Aero is pursuing.
- Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman is a Tier-1 defense prime that builds the Global Hawk and other large UAS, and has internal CCA-adjacent programs. It is a broad incumbent competitor in autonomous aerospace for the same DoD customers Swarm Aero targets.
Emerging players
- Helsing: Helsing is a European defense-tech company building AI-driven autonomous systems (including air and maritime) for NATO militaries, comparable to Swarm Aero in mission-level autonomy and software-defined defense offerings. Useful as a peer for the recurring-software-on-hardware revenue thesis.
- Skydio: Skydio supplies autonomous sUAS (small drones) to defense and federal customers and is increasingly competing for DoD autonomy software contracts. Comparable on autonomous UAS/autonomy stack, though at a different (smaller) airframe class than Swarm Aero's Group 5 platforms.
- Saronic: Saronic builds autonomous surface vessels for the U.S. Navy with a similar 'affordable mass' thesis and production-at-scale manufacturing approach as Swarm Aero. While maritime vs. aerial, it is a closely comparable emerging defense-tech peer in capital intensity, manufacturing scale, and DoD GTM motion.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Swarm Aero social profiles
Digital presenceSwarm Aero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Swarm Aero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Swarm Aero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Swarm Aero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Swarm Aero
What does Swarm Aero do?
Swarm Aero designs, manufactures, and sells large-scale Group 5 unmanned aerial systems (over 1,320 lbs) and its Legion command-and-control software for coordinated UAV swarms. The offering is targeted at the U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries for defense missions including payload delivery in contested environments, sense-and-strike, mobile asset tracking, and security and defense in depth. The company operates an 80,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, designed for high-volume production of large UAVs.
Is Swarm Aero a public or private company?
Swarm Aero is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Swarm Aero founded?
Swarm Aero was founded in 2022. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Swarm Aero based?
Swarm Aero is headquartered in Oxnard, United States, in the North America region.
How does Swarm Aero make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Large UAV Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are swarm Software (Legion).
Who are Swarm Aero's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Anduril Industries, Shield AI and General Atomics. Broad incumbents are Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Emerging players are Helsing, Skydio and Saronic.
Does Swarm Aero have an API?
No public API is recorded for Swarm Aero.
What industry is Swarm Aero in?
Swarm Aero's product category is Military Unmanned Aerial Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAMAC, Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms, with a secondary code of IMABAIAB, Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aircraft (UAV). Its NAICS code is 336411 and its SIC code is 3720.